Hummingbird feeders with a sugar-and-water solution can provide supplemental food for hummingbirds and enjoyment for humans. Maintained properly, feeders won’t harm hummingbirds and will give them the energy they need to go after their real desired food: insects.
This article is an excellent overview on feeding hummingbirds and includes topics like choosing a feeder, making a nectar solution (read this section carefully to avoid poisoning hummingbirds!), feeder maintenance, and deterring ants, bees, and yellow jackets.
Commercial hummingbird feeders are inexpensive and available for sale in many places, but for DIY enthusiasts, this 4-minute video shows you how to make your own out of two aluminum soda cans and a glass bottle with a screw-on cap.
This 3-minute video assumes you’ve purchased a specific hummingbird feeder, but its tips on feeder placement, nectar recipes, and cleanliness are important no matter what kind of hummingbird feeder you use.
Though rare, praying mantises have been known to camp out on hummingbird feeders and kill hummingbirds when they approach. This article from Audubon has tips for protecting hummingbirds when they visit your feeder.
New York's bluebird population has dropped 90% due to pesticides, shortage of natural nesting cavities, and competition from sparrows and starlings. You can help! Install a bluebird nesting box on your woodlot so these colorful songbirds can raise their families.
The flute-clear notes of a wood thrush. The aerial acrobatics of an American woodcock. Your woodlot can support an astonishing variety of birds, but different birds have different needs. If you want to see more birds, create greater variety on your property.
Just setting up a bird nesting box isn’t enough to keep birds using it. Periodic cleaning will reduce nest parasites and improve the health of both adult and baby birds.
Beauty isn’t just in what you see. By learning common bird songs and calls, you can tune in to your woodlot’s beautiful sounds as well.